Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-20
Governor Lee nBd the CIuverius
Case.
10 tie Editor Of tie Dispatch:


10 tie Editor Of tie Dispatch:
The law-abiding people of Virginia
feel that the action of Governor Lee in
the Cluvcrius case was triumph for
" law and order, and hard HEX at
Judge Lynchs style of settling such
matters. For the Governor to have
"set aside" the decisions Of the
courts on the himsy evidence and
reasons presented TO him by the friends
of the deceased would have been a
serious blow at the very foundations
of society and our form Of govern
mont 1t will be a bad day for our
people when the verdict of jury, sus-
tanned by, may say, all the courts, Is
To be set aside by " sentimental writers
il the newspapers.
1t would also he worse than farce II
men who sat upon jury, and which
brought in verdict of murder IN the
first degree, should afterwards have any
influence IN changing such verdict. TO
permit such a thing would open wide
the gate leading to bribery. In trials
of the kind every precautlon Is taken to
prevent any communication between
the Jury and outside citizens One OBJ
jcct of that is to prevent any undue in
fluence on the jury or any member OF
IT, Every one must see that to permit
such Jurors afterwards to have influence
enough as to lead to IA change of a yer
dictwould make the precaution alluded
to worse than Il childish farce, and
would lead to such bribery as
would forever put 1t out OF
the Commonwealth to hang II
man who had money, or whose friends
would ',put up money to save him
from the scafold If there is reason
why chance should not be given for
bribery before n conviction, then there
must be doubly strong reasons why
such chance shall not be given after a
conviction. / mention this, as some
very sentimental " people seem to
think that If one or two JurymeD, after
rendering a verdict of guilty, should
change their minds, then the verdict
rendered should be changed or set aside.
Strange to say, it also appears to me
that there are some people so CON
stituted that they are indispOsed to
believe respectable witnesses if their
evidence conflicts with what the accused
saws about the case. The great bulk OF
the law-abiding people of the State OF
course felt it might look as If they
,hirsted for the blood of Cluyerius had
they rushed into the newspapers, clam
oring that he should be hung. They
were willing to leave the case entirely
in the hands of Governor Lee, and ms
action did not disappoint them. five
are to be governed by civilized laws,
then | trust never again TO see such an
attempt made to bring such laws into
contempt, as was made by some of the
friends of Cluverius. In doing 50,
they were unjust to themselves,
TO the Governor and to the best in
terests Of society. | have no unkind
words to say of the dead, but he who
doubts his guilt shows, think, a softer
heart than q common-sense, reasoning
head Certainly his warmest friends
must feel the livelest gratitude towards
Governor Lee for the patient and re-
spectful hearing he gave them. Every
man who knows the Governor must
also feel that could he have con-
scientiously done so it would have
given him real pleasure TO have changed
the verdict The voice OF "duty
pointed out his course, and that voice
was % a law unto him which he could
not disobey. 10 have changed the
verdict simply because he had the
power TO do so was no reason to him
Why he should violate duty
Cam.